Shower station testing assembly for pressure testing plumbing

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a testing assembly for pressure testing a plumbing system in a building where the building has a shower station with a drain and a shower inlet. The testing assembly includes a drain adapter, a hose fitting on the shower inlet, and a hose removably connecting the shower inlet and the drain adapter. The drain adapter has a hose end fitting and a drain sealing element in fluid communication with the hose end fitting. The sealing element is adapted to be in fluid communication with the drain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In new building construction, the plumbing system needs to be checkedfor leaks before an inspection process is completed. This test involvessealing off outlets such as drains. When the testing operation is totake place, a plug is put in the bottom drain of a showerstation/bathtub and a seal plate is placed at the end of the shower onthe overflow drain, if one is present as in a shower station/bathtubarrangement. Then water is run down a vent in the plumbing system untilthe water reaches a level above all of the plumbing system outlets. Theplumber or inspector then determines whether any of the piping leaks.

The water supplied for this test is typically obtained by the plumbergetting on the roof of the building, and using a hose to run water downthe top of the vent pipe of the plumbing system. Running a hose up tothe roof is a cumbersome, hazardous and time intensive procedure whichoften results in wasting large amounts of water.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a testingassembly for pressure testing plumbing systems which eliminates the needto run water through the roof vent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a testing assembly whichutilizes an inlet and a drain of a shower station to pressure testplumbing systems.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a testing assemblyhaving a drain adapter which allows for a watertight connection betweenthe shower station inlet and drain.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a testing assembly for pressure testing aplumbing system in a building where the building has a shower stationwith a drain and a shower inlet. The testing assembly includes a drainadapter, a hose fitting on the shower inlet, and a hose removablyconnecting the shower inlet and the drain adapter. The drain adapter hasa hose end fitting and a drain sealing element in fluid communicationwith the hose end fitting. The sealing element is adapted to be in fluidcommunication with the drain.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a plumbing system environmentutilizing the device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a shower station environment utilizing thedevice of this invention with a shower bottom drain taken on line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the upper connector of this inventiontaken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3A is a sectional side view of the upper connector of thisinvention taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the drain adapter of this inventionfor use with a bottom drain taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged sectional side view of the drain adapter of thisinvention for use with a bottom drain similar to that of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a shower station environment utilizing thedevice of this invention with a shower overflow drain;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the drain adapter of this inventionfor use with an overflow drain taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 6A is an enlarged sectional side view of the drain adapter of thisinvention for use with an overflow drain taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, a building 10 with a plumbing system 12 has afirst shower station 14 and bottom drain 16; second shower station 18and drain 20; first lavatory sink 22 and drain 24; second lavatory sink26 and drain 28; first toilet 30 and drain 32; second toilet 34 anddrain 36; kitchen sink 38 and drain 40; vent 42; and plumbing outlet 44.

In the conventional pressure testing of the plumbing system 12, thedrains 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, and outlet 44 are all sealed to fluidflow. Then water is added to the plumbing system 12 via vent 42 to checkfor leaks in the system 12.

In the present invention, however, drain 16 is not sealed to fluid flow;rather it is placed in fluid flow communication with a first showerinlet 46 to supply fluid to the sealed plumbing system 12.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the term showerinlet, as used herein, includes but is not limited to shower spouts,bath spouts, or one of these spouts fitted with any transitional fitting(which may be used to prevent damage to the finished spout).

With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3A, the first shower inlet 46 isequipped with threaded head 50 (also referred to as hose fitting 50).

With reference to FIG. 2, the shower station 14 further includes anoverflow drain 54. In one embodiment, the overflow drain 54 is equippedwith a threaded surface 56 (further discussed below in regards to FIGS.5 and 6). In the present embodiment, where the first shower inlet 46 isplaced in fluid flow communication with bottom drain 16, the overflowdrain 54 includes a seal 58 preventing outward fluid flow duringpressure testing.

Testing assembly 60 provides an apparatus for placing the first showerinlet 46 in fluid flow communication with bottom drain 16. Testingassembly 60 includes a bottom drain adapter 62 adapted to removablyengage bottom drain 16 in fluid flow communication to form a watertightseal; an upper connector 64 having a threaded surface 65 adapted toremovably engage the threaded head 50 to form a watertight seal; a lowerconnector 66 having a threaded surface 67 removably engaged in with thedrain adapter 62 to form a watertight seal; and a hose 68 connected influid flow communication between the upper and lower connectors 64 and68.

With reference to FIG. 4A, a slightly modified bottom drain adapter 62is shown in greater detail. The adapter 62 includes a hose end fitting70 with a threaded portion 72 for removably engaging the threadedsurface 67 of lower connector 66 to form a watertight seal, an inlet 74for accepting fluid from the shower inlet 46, and an outlet 76 for flowof fluid to the drain 16. The adapter 62 further includes a flexiblesealing element 78 attached about the hose end fitting 70, for creatinga watertight seal between the hose end fitting 70 and the bottom of theshower station 14. It will be understood that the flexible sealingelement 78 may seal to either the drain 16 or to the shower station 14.A perforated base 80 is attached within the hose end fitting 70. Theperforated base 80 has perforations 81 for allowing fluid flow throughthe base 80, and an aperture 82 for slidably receiving a fastener 84.The fastener 84 is adapted to removably secure the drain adapter 62 tothe drain 16 by mating with a threaded surface 86 on drain 16, and tocreate a water tight seal between the sealing element 78 and drain 16.

With reference to FIG. 5, in an alternate embodiment, drain 16 is sealedand the testing assembly 60 is removably secured in fluid flowcommunication between the shower inlet 46 and the overflow drain 54. Inthis embodiment, the hose 68 is attached from the inlet 46 to theoverflow drain 54. The hose 68 is attached to the overflow drain 54 viaan overflow drain adapter 88. The adapter 88 is adapted to be removablyengaged in fluid communication with the overflow drain 54.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6A, the adapter 88 has a hose end fitting90 with a threaded portion 92 for removably securing the adapter 88 tothe threaded surface 67 of lower connector 66 to form a watertight seal.An inlet 94 of the adapter 88 is secured in fluid flow communicatingwith the hose 68 via hose end fitting 90. The adapter 88, further has anoutlet 96 which is secured in fluid flow communicating with the overflowdrain 54 by overflow end fitting 98. The overflow end fitting 98 has athreaded portion 100 for removably securing the adapter 88 to thethreaded surface 56 of overflow drain 54 to form a watertight seal.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, in operation, drains 20, 24, 28, 32, 36,40, and outlet 44 are all sealed from fluid flow. Then either bottomdrain 16 or overflow drain 54 are left open and placed in fluid flowcommunication with first shower inlet 46. The non-selected drain (16 or54) is sealed to fluid flow. The testing assembly 60 is secured in fluidflow communication between the shower inlet 46 and the selected drain(16 or 54), as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Fluid flow through shower inlet46 is initiated to send fluid through assembly 60, though drain (16 or54) and into the plumbing system 12. The plumbing system 12 is chargedwith water at some elevation above the drains 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36,40, and 54 so that it can be determined if there are any leaks in thesystem. Having determined that there are no leaks in the system 12, thewater is purged from the system, the assembly 60 is removed, drainblockers such as seal 58 are broken or removed, and finishing covers areplaced on the plumbing fixtures.

It is therefore seen that this invention provides a testing assembly forpressure testing plumbing systems which eliminates the need to run waterthrough the roof vent. The invention also provides a testing assemblywhich utilizes an inlet and a drain of a shower station to pressure testplumbing systems. In addition, the invention provides a drain adapterwhich allows for a watertight connection between a shower station inletand drain.

It is therefore seen that this invention will accomplish at least all ofits stated objectives.

1. A testing assembly for pressure testing a plumbing system in abuilding where the building has a shower station with a bottom drain, anoverflow drain, and a shower spout, the testing assembly comprising: adrain adapter having a hose end fitting and a bottom drain sealingelement in fluid communication with the hose end fitting, the sealingelement adapted to be in fluid communication with the bottom drain; aseal for the overflow drain for preventing outward fluid flow; a hosefitting on the shower spout; a hose removably connecting the showerspout and the drain adapter; wherein the drain adapter further comprisesa fastener, the fastener being an externally threaded centrally locatedpost adapted to removably engage the bottom drain to form a watertightseal between the sealing element and the bottom drain; and wherein thefastener is adapted to removably engage the bottom drain via a threadedsurface centrally located in the bottom of the drain. 2-3. (canceled) 4.The testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the drain adapter furtherincludes a perforated base having an aperture, the aperture slidablyreceiving the fastener.
 5. The testing assembly of claim 1, wherein thehose is removably connected to the drain adapter by a lower connectorremovably engaged with the hose end fitting of the drain adapter to froma watertight seal.
 6. The testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the hoseis removably connected to the shower spout by an upper connector havinga threaded surface adapted to removably engage the hose fitting to forma watertight seal. 7-13. (canceled)
 14. A method for pressure testing aplumbing system in a building where the building has a shower stationwith a bottom drain an overflow drain and a shower inlet, the methodcomprising: connecting the shower inlet to select one of the bottom andoverflow drains for water tight communication of fluid from the showerinlet to the selected drain; sealing the non=selected drain closed;initiating fluid flow from the shower inlet, through the non-sealeddrain, and into the plumbing system; and determining if there are anyleaks in the plumbing system.
 15. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising the step of supplying an overflow end fitting with internalthreading adapted to removably engage an externally threaded surface ofthe overflow drain to form a watertight seal.
 16. The method of claim14, further comprising the step of supplying a lower connector with anexternally threaded screw adapted to removably engage with a centrallylocated threaded surface in the bottom of the bottom drain to form awatertight seal.